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Tunnel sops

Electro-mechanical work includes lightning, traffic control through signal management inside the tunnel, installation of exhaust system for removal of highly poisonous gases such as nitrogenous oxcide, carbon monoxide, dioxide and highly inflammable methane gas.

These gases are produced due to fuel burning and emission of vehicles.

Installation of electro-mechanical system will cost almost Rs10 billion.

It is high tech work which was tendered to international firms who were reluctant to participate in it due to the unfriendly environment for foreigners. Several advertisements were published in international magazines costing more than seventy lack rupees.

Jet fans equal to that of a Boeing plane would be installed in the tunnel. In the absence of jet fans used for the removal of these toxic gases, operation of the tunnel is against international safety standards and norms, hence illegal.

Due to decreased oxygen concentration in the almost 10,000 feet altitudes, the burning of fuel is very poor, therefore, it is very likely that methane level can increase to a dangerous level.

The acceptable level of methane inside the tunnel is 3pc currently it runs to above 30pc

In the absence of ventilation system this can rise to extreme dangerous levels.

In that case, fire eruption can lead to damage to all vehicles as it will not confine to a particular vehicle rather will engulf all vehicles inside the tunnel as it occurs inside a tube.

In case of fire eruption temperatures can reach up to 2,000 degrees centigrade as there would be no dissipation of heat and smoke, which can melt flesh, bones and even iron also, so control and rescue would be almost impossible.

In that scenario, a tunnel works like a pressure cooker.

Due to atmospheric pressure differences at both ends of the tunnel, especially cloud accumulation at the north end, a phenomenon of equilibrium can establish which means stagnation of harmful gases will take place.

Due to decreased oxygen concentration asthmatic patients, old age people, newborns and pregnant women can suffer strokes.

After several hours of tunnel operation, up to two hours break is mandatory so that the air is cleaned inside the tunnel.

Tunnel traffic management/tunnel facility is relatively a recent phenomenon, several accidents have happened across the world in which precious lives have lost.